Annual rotunda caroling kicks off Christmas weekend downtown

YOUNGSTOWN

The marble-lined rotunda of the 105-year-old Mahoning County Courthouse reverberated with joyful music as visitors and county employees joined in the annual Christmas caroling.

During the 1960s, Anthony Vivo, who was county clerk of courts for 39 years, was instrumental in starting the tradition on the last business day before Christmas.

Upon his death in 1994, his son, also named Anthony Vivo, who became the court clerk that year, continued the tradition and now serves as master of ceremonies.

“Just getting in that beautiful rotunda with the tremendous acoustics and singing these beautiful songs with the band, it’s a good way to kick off the Christmas weekend, and it’s a fun thing to do,” Vivo said Friday, referring to the band made up of current and former county employees.

“This and naturalization [of new U.S. citizens] are my two favorite things to do in the courthouse,” Vivo added.

Read more about the event in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.